The present invention is directed to a method for the longitudinal application of an elongated retainer element onto a traversing travelling or moving bundle having a plurality of electrical and/or optical transmission elements.
In cable technology, cable cores are helically wound with a retaining element, especially a retaining helix, in many practical situations in order to hold the cable elements thereof so that, for example, electrical and/or optical leads or conductors together in a unified manner. The winding is preferably undertaken with what is referred to as a tangential or central retaining helix wrapper. These work with supply reels that rotate around the cable core as the core passes therethrough. The structure and manipulation of such a rotating winding device are involved. An example of such a retaining helix spinner is disclosed, for example, in DE 31 13 528.
It is also known from the cable technology for very specific applications so surround cable cores all around with, for example, a weave or a metallic shielding in a closed fashion or to wrap them with a fine mesh. Such applied weaves, however, cover the entire cable core surface tightly or, respectively, over the full surface to provide an all-around surrounding covering. Such all-around coverings can be produced only in an involved way, for example by knitting, bobbin lace work, weaving, etc., and this expenditure for such a process is only justified where specific demands make these unavoidable, for example for achieving a tight shielding of the cable core with regard to the exterior.
The present invention is directed to an object of providing a method for a retaining element to be longitudinally applied to a traversing or travelling bundle with a plurality of electrical and/or optical transmission elements in an optimally simple way for holding the bundle together. In the method of the species originally mentioned, this object is inventively achieved in that the loop of the respective retaining element is respectively formed at successive, discrete locations of the bundle and in that the respective loops are then cinched or tightened upon formation of the retaining force.
In that a respective loop is formed of the respective retaining element at successive, discrete locations of the bundle, simple guidance of the retaining element during the longitudinal application onto the traversing or travelling bundle is enabled. In particular, the supply reel for the retainer elements can thereby be arranged in a fixed position so that the complicated rotational movement of the supply reel around the bundle is no longer required. Longitudinally applying the respective retainer element with a variety of structures onto the bundle and effectively holding the transmission elements of the bundle together are now enabled. Complicated motion sequences that are difficult to control as in, for example, a traditional weaving, bobbin lace work, spinning are largely avoided.
The invention is also directed to an apparatus for the longitudinal application of at least one elongated retainer element onto a travelling bundle having a plurality of electrical and/or optical transmission elements, and this apparatus is characterized in that at least one loop-laying device is provided for the formation of a respective loop of the retaining element as successive, discrete locations of the bundle, and that the means for cinching this loop upon formation of a retaining force for the bundle is provided.
The invention is also directed to a method for holding a traversing, stranded product of a plurality of electrical and/or optical transmission elements together with at least one elongated retaining element that is characterized in that the loops for the plurality of retaining elements are continuously formed at different positions of the outside circumference of the stranded product and that these loops are chained with one another.
The invention is also directed to the communication cable having an elongated cable core, whose plurality of electrical and/or optical transmission elements are held together as a bundle by at least one elongated retaining element, said communications cable being characterized in that the respective retaining element forms a respective loop at successive, discrete locations of the bundle and in that the respective loop can be tightened or cinched to form a retaining force on the bundle.
Other advantages and features of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, the drawings and claims.